‘Build from the ashes’: Fort McMurray reflects on how community has changed since 2016 wildfire

Ten years after fleeing her burning Fort McMurray neighbourhood through gridlocked traffic, Alexis Gale still finds herself packing a to-go bag as soon as the winter snow begins to melt.

For Gale, who lost her home during the 2016 Horse River Wildfire, the anniversary is a reminder of the confusion of the evacuation and the stress of rebuilding her home. The melting snow reminds her it’s time to be ready with her emergency supplies and important documents, just in case.

“Thinking about it, it’s really hard and I get a lot of anxiety. … I always feel like we’re in survival mode ever since the fire,” she said.

“It’s just a scar that we’re gonna always have. We’re always gonna remember it, but people just have moved on in the sense of we have rebuilt our lives.”

Ready to move forward but mindful of what happened on May 3, 2016 is a sentiment shared by Mayor Sandy Bowman and the region’s fire chief, Jody Butz.

The wildfire destroyed more than 2,560 dwellings, or 10 per cent of homes in Fort McMurray. More than 330 buildings were never rebuilt. An evacuation that lasted roughly a month scattered more than 88,000 residents across the province and country.

A decade later, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) is attempting to balance a need for reflection with a desire shared by many residents to move forward.

“I don’t think I’m in any place to quantify what someone’s mental health has been through in the last 10 years, but there’s definitely residual effects,” Bowman said in an interview with CBC News.

For those who want to reflect on the disaster with others, the RMWB is organizing public gatherings in Fort McMurray and surrounding rural hamlets this month.

The first event is Sunday in Fort McMurray and includes spaces for storytelling, family games, guided nature walks and yoga. 

It is being advertised as “a welcoming and respectful space where everyone can take part in a way that feels right for them.” 

“If folks feel to come and share their story and reflect on it, but also not to ignore the fact it’s a milestone, hopefully we can use it as an opportunity to look forward,” said Butz.

“I really hope that in maybe 10 years, we can move forward and it’s not going to define us.”

Paul Daigle, who lost his home in the neighbourhood of Waterways, saw 90 per cent of homes in his neighbourhood destroyed in 2016.

Waterways was also flooded by an overflowing Clearwater River in 2013 and 2020. Daigle is more worried about the risk of flooding than wildfires. He’s not happy with how governments responded to the wildfire in 2016, but says he does not want to dwell on the day.

“It’s gonna be a normal Sunday,” he said when asked how he will mark the wildfire’s 10th anniversary.

“You gotta keep moving on. You gotta build from the ashes. You gotta move on and make it happen. Make your life happen.”

Butz says the best way to remember 2016 is to prepare for the future. The RMWB has spent more than $6.4 million clearing dead and dry trees and bushes that could spread wildfires.

Every neighbourhood and rural hamlet has emergency response plans customized to their geography and layout.

Fire officials also offer to inspect homes and give tips on how to keep their homes safe from fires. They’ve responded to requests from more than 1,800 homeowners. Bowman says it’s common for leaders in other communities to ask the RMWB for advice on rebuilding from devastating wildfires.

When a wildfire south of Fort McMurray in 2024 caused an evacuation order of more than 6,600 people, the RMWB and the province were able to quickly form a unified response. This time, the wildfire never entered the city limits.

“Never let a disaster go to waste and we definitely took the opportunity to learn from that,” said Butz.

“I promise you, we will have a wildfire this year. I can’t tell you where or how the impact will be, but we are ready for the next wildfire that’s going to come this year and that’s the change.”